PCP

PCP, abbreviation of phencyclidine, byname angel dust, hallucinogenic drug with anesthetic properties, having the chemical name 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine. PCP was first developed in 1956 by Parke Davis Laboratories of Detroit for use as an anesthetic in veterinary medicine, though it is no longer used in this capacity. Used for a brief time as a general anesthetic in humans, its side effects range from distorted self-perception to severe disorientation and unpredictable psychotic behaviour, which quickly discouraged its legal use.

As with other hallucinogens, PCP does not cause physical dependence. In low doses it produces effects similar to those of LSD, though violent and psychotic behaviour seem to be more characteristic of PCP. Although most users do not have psychotic episodes, the effects of the drug are extremely unpredictable. A PCP user is often impervious to pain and generally exhibits emotional instability, excited intoxication, a lack of coordination, high blood pressure, and increased deep-tendon muscle reflexes. At high doses, PCP is highly toxic and can cause convulsions and coma. PCP’s effects vary by user and are influenced by mood, dosage, and setting. Effects are evident one to two hours after ingestion and generally last four to six hours. Among chronic users, visual, memory, and speech disorders have been noted. In an illegal setting, the drug is typically mixed in powdered form with a leafy substance such as parsley, mint, tobacco, or marijuana and is smoked. It may also be dissolved in a liquid and sprayed onto the leaves. In addition, it can be injected or inhaled.

Because PCP is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture, it became a major illegal drug in North America, though its popularity never really spread further. In the United States an illicit trade in PCP sprang up during the mid-1960s, and violence related to the use of PCP—including suicide, homicide, and self-mutilation—grew to alarming proportions in the 1970s and ’80s. It was estimated that at least seven million Americans used PCP on at least one occasion between 1975 and 1983. By the mid-1980s, PCP use had declined, largely as a result of the increased popularity of crack cocaine.